External apparatus for combining partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memories

• US 6,173,357 B1
• Filed: 06/30/1998
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shinemore Technology Corp. (Joint Choice Venture Capital Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Shinemore Technology Corp. (Joint Choice Venture Capital Corp.)
• Inventors: Ju, Jiang-Tsuen
• Primary Examiner(s): Yoo, Do Hyun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Verbrugge, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US09/107,467
• Time in Patent Office: 924 Days
• Field of Search: 365/230.03, 711/5, 711/105, 711/211, 714/5, 714/710
• US Class Current: 711/5
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 12/06 Addressing a physical block of locations, e.g. base addressing, module addressing, memory dedication G06F12/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/88 with partially good memories
• CPC Class Codes: G11C 29/886 combining plural defective memory devices to provide a contiguous address range, e.g. one device supplies working blocks to replace defective blocks in another device

Abstract

The present invention discloses an apparatus for combining partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memories. By selecting each memory chip with corresponding workable blocks, the partially defected SDRAMs can be combined as a workable device which can be programmed and operated in the same way as a defect-free chip. The apparatus for combining partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips of the present invention includes a workable block selecting circuit and a chip selecting circuit. The workable block selecting circuit is responsive to a reference signal for selecting workable blocks of the synchronous dynamic random access memories. The chip selecting circuit is responsive to a chip selecting signal and the reference signal for selecting a chip from the synchronous dynamic random access memory chips.

Claims

1. An apparatus for combining partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips as a functional SDRAM chip, said apparatus comprising:

a plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips;

a reference signal means for generating a reference signal;

a workable block selecting circuit being responsive to said reference signal for selecting workable blocks of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips; and

a chip selecting circuit being responsive to a chip selecting signal and said reference signal for selecting a chip from said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips to access data as a defect-free chip by said selected workable blocks.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said workable block selecting circuit is further responsive to a write enable signal, a row address signal, and a column address signal.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said chip selecting circuit is further responsive to a write enable signal, a row address signal, and a column address signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reference signal comprises a bank selecting signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein at least one workable banks are selected by said workable block selecting circuit in a row address accessing cycle and a column address accessing cycle of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein a chip of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips is selected by said chip selecting circuit corresponding to each state of said bank selecting signal, during said row address accessing cycle and said column address accessing cycle.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips are partially defective in a row address accessing cycle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein said reference signal comprises an address reference signal of row addresses.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said workable blocks are selected by said workable block selecting circuit in said row address accessing cycle.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a chip of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips is selected by said chip selecting circuit corresponding to each state of said address reference signal, during said row address accessing cycle.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips are partially defective in a column address accessing cycle.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein said reference signal comprises an address reference signal of column addresses.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein said workable blocks are selected by said workable block selecting circuit in said column address accessing cycle.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein a chip of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips is selected by said chip selecting circuit corresponding to each state of said address reference signal, during said column address accessing cycle.

15. A method for combining a plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips as a functional SDRAM chip, comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips;

inputting a reference signal to a workable block selecting circuit for generating a workable block selecting signal;

selecting workable blocks of said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips in response to said workable block selecting signal;

inputting a chip selecting signal and said reference signal to said chip selecting circuit for generating a controlling signal;

selecting a chip from said plurality of partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips in response to said controlling signal; and

combining said workable block selecting signal and said controlling signal to activate said selected workable block of said selected chip for data access.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising a step of inputting a write enable signal, a row address signal, and a column address signal to said workable black selecting circuit and said partially defected synchronous dynamic random access memory chips.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein said reference signal comprises a bank selecting signal.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein said reference signal comprises an address reference signal of row addresses.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein said reference signal comprises an address reference signal of column addresses.